Dr. Lutfi is a foregut and bariatric surgeon who graduated from medical school at Damascus University in Syria and completed his residency at the University of Illinois Chicago. He went on to do a research fellowship in obesity followed by a clinical fellowship in surgery at Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Lutfi is interested in education and access to care for patients with obesity. He is the past president of the Illinois Bariatric Society and Chair of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Private Practice Committee. He was the former president of the Foundation of the American Society of Metabolic of Bariatric Surgery.
An internationally renowned bariatric surgeon, Dr. Lutfi has been featured on ABC News on CBS Chicago and in the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Dr. Lutfi is passionate about philanthropy, and he is fluent in Arabic and French. He enjoys traveling and educating surgeons around the world.
Highlights of Dr. Lutfi’s Career
- Board Certified in General Surgery
- Fellow of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (FASMBS)
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS)
- Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine (DABOM)
- Chief of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
- Program Director for Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Dr. Lutfi’s Practice Philosophy
“My practice philosophy is to cover all the various needs of those struggling with weight. As complex and multifactorial as obesity is, weight loss can be even more complicated. Treatment plans are based upon individuals’ needs. We utilize different resources in our comprehensive program with the help of our two full-time nurses, one full-time dietitian and a psychologist. While surgery is the most critical step, I strongly believe it is only a piece of the puzzle — along with diet, exercise and behavioral changes — and our job is to provide support in all of these areas to achieve the optimal outcome.
“I leave my ego out of the operating room.”
– Rami Lutfi
Selected Publications
View a partial list of Dr. Lutfi’s publications through the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed online database.